NYC museum presents 'The Little Prince' exhibit

Updated 9:07 pm, Monday, January 6, 2014

This undated photo provided by the Morgan Library and Museum shows a drawing from Antoine de Saint-Exupery's beloved childrens tale The Little Prince, which is the subject of a major exhibition at the Morgan Library and Museum in New York on the 70th anniversary of the books publication. (AP Photo/Morgan Library and Museum, Graham S. Haber) ORG XMIT: NYR301

This undated photo provided by the Morgan Library and Museum shows...

This undated photo provided by the Morgan Library and Museum shows a drawing from Antoine de Saint-Exupery's beloved childrens tale The Little Prince, which is the subject of a major exhibition at the Morgan Library and Museum in New York on the 70th anniversary of the books publication. (AP Photo/Morgan Library and Museum, Graham S. Haber) ORG XMIT: NYR302

This undated photo provided by the Morgan Library and Museum shows...

This undated photo provided by the Morgan Library and Museum shows a drawing from Antoine de Saint-Exupery's beloved childrens tale The Little Prince, which is the subject of a major exhibition at the Morgan Library and Museum in New York on the 70th anniversary of the books publication. (AP Photo/Morgan Library and Museum, Graham S. Haber) ORG XMIT: NYR303

That page is contained in the French author's original handwritten manuscript, which is the subject of a major exhibition at the Morgan Library and Museum celebrating the book's 1943 publication.

"The Little Prince: A New York Story," which opens Jan. 24, features 35 of his original watercolors and 25 pages from his heavily revised 140-page text, written in Saint-Exupery's tiny script.

Some visitors may be surprised to learn that "The Little Prince," which has been translated into more than 250 languages and dialects, was written and first published in New York.

"It's well documented that he wrote the book here, but it's not well known to the general public," said Christine Nelson, curator of literary and historical manuscripts at the Morgan.

"Because the manuscript brings you back to the moment of creation, we wanted to set the exhibition in the place and time of creation," she said. "It focuses on the emergence of this work in New York during the war. He was writing it just within miles of where this exhibition is being shown."

Saint-Exupery, a French aviator and best-selling author, didn't live to see his book published in France after the war. He died while piloting a reconnaissance flight in 1944, weeks before the liberation of Paris.